Coventry captain Carl Baker hopes the tragic loss of one brother and the fighting spirit of another can inspire a huge FA Cup upset tomorrow.

Sky Blues skipper Baker will lead out the League One visitors at Arsenal and in the crowd will be his younger brother Dean, who was diagnosed with leukaemia aged 16.

Dean, 21, is now in remission after undergoing chemotherapy, blood transfusions and bone marrow treatment for three years.

But Baker’s eldest brother Mike was also diagnosed with the same illness and passed away in 2009 at the age of 33.

And Baker, 31, will say a prayer in Mike’s memory tomorrow before stepping out on to the turf.

He said: “Every game – no matter if it’s the smallest game ever – I have my own ritual of saying a couple of prayers before kick-off.

“I ask Mike to look over me and help me chip in with a goal or get us a result. I do that all the time and have done since the day he passed away.

Going into the game, it is ­something I think about and use that to drive me on.

“I want to do him proud and know he is looking down on me.

“Michael had it for a year, got given the all-clear and two months later unfortunately passed away. But my younger brother got the all clear last year. He has a job, has got engaged and is living a normal life now.

“He is 21 and had to have a hip operation because the ­chemotherapy has worn his bone down in his hip.

“He still has difficult times, but he comes to most of the games and loves his football.

“That is also the biggest ­inspiration you can have as a brother.

“I have seen both sides of it – Dean having the joy of getting through it, but the heartbreak of it all going wrong with Michael.”

Baker is an inspirational leader on and off the pitch for Coventry, where he takes his ­responsibilities seriously. He even comforted terminally ill Coventry fan Brett Woodier and his family in the late youngster’s five-year battle with leukaemia.

His sombre experiences have helped put Coventry’s woes into perspective following the club’s 10-point penalty.

Incredibly, though, City are still in with a chance of making the play-offs, due to boss Steven ­Pressley’s fine work. Pressley, 40, has given City new belief since taking charge from Falkirk in March last year.

The Scot has introduced a high tempo, passing game with a promising group of youngsters.

The Sky Blues visited both Arsenal in the League Cup last season and Tottenham in the FA Cup under former boss Mark Robins.

Coventry lost 6-1 at the ­Emirates and 3-0 at Spurs, but expect better tomorrow.

Baker added: “When we went there last year we were a little bit in awe.

“At the Emirates and White Hart Lane we were looking around, but we have all ­experienced that now.

“Hopefully it will be a little different this year and we can get down to business rather than having a look around at the facilities.”